Welcome To Anubis House
by uniqueinkblots
Summary: Eddie may be the latest new kid, but all of them were new to Anubis House at one point. Exactly how and why did they end up in boarding school? Collection of one-shots that explore the background of the Anubis House residents. One chapter per character.
1. Fabian

**A/N: **This is my first House of Anubis fanfic so constructive criticism and general comments and opinions are very much welcomed. I always kind of wondered about the background of all the Anubis House residents so I decided to create reasons for them to attend boarding school (based on little tidbits of information from the show) myself.

Since there are 10 students who live in Anubis House, this piece will be 10 chapters long: a one-shot per student. The order of students featured will be: Fabian, Patricia, Amber, Mick, Mara, Jerome, Alfie, Joy, Nina, & Eddie. (This is the order they appear in during the show's opening credits with the exception of Nina and Eddie who I purposely kept last since they are the most new to our knowledge.)

With that all being said, I hope you like it!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own House of Anubis.

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><p>Fabian hummed with a carefree smile on his face as he reached for the book on the coffee table. He had begged his father to buy him this astronomy book the day it released, but had promised himself he wouldn't touch it until school ended. Now that second semester was over, he officially had ample time to dedicate to the work. He settled onto the couch and eagerly opened to the first page.<p>

"Fabian? What are you doing here?"

He glanced up. His mother who stood in the kitchen doorway, patiently waiting for a response. He wistfully shut the book close. He had only reached page three. "I'm home from school and reading a book," he motioned towards the cover and offered her a quick smile.

Mrs. Rutter bustled around the living room, shifting his school bag from the middle of the floor to a corner of the room. "I can see that, but today was your very last day as a 5th grade student and the weather is just gorgeous. Shouldn't you be taking advantage of the sun and celebrating with your friends?"

Fabian closed his eyes and listened to the boisterous shouts of laughter coming from outside before shaking his head in earnest. "I'd rather be reading."

"Do you even have friends?"

The question came quick and without warning. Fabian blinked and looked up in shock. "I have friends!" He couldn't hide the defensive tone that colored his voice. He knew he didn't spend a lot of time with his peers, but his mother had never really commented on his social habits. She had certainly never suggested that he had _no friends_.

"Then why are you never with them? Why don't you ever invite them over or vice versa?" Mrs. Rutter sat beside him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I know you're shy, dear. But you're practically always alone. Your father and I really worry about you sometimes. I'm sure you realize that."

Fabian met her concerned gaze, completely bewildered. "I'm alone, but I'm not lonely," he finally murmured. His eleven year old mind couldn't quite grasp what she was saying. He was clever, but he was still so young. Did his own mother pity him? Shame and worry began to creep into his heart as he tried to dispel his panicky thoughts.

"At least right now you're not," she corrected gently. "You're very young, Fabian. About to entire your teenage years." She grasped his hand before continuing. "It's going to be an absolute roller coaster from here on out. You're going to need people in your life beside just me and your father. People your age. Friends who truly care about you."

He opened his mouth to protest but she motioned for him to wait and raised her eyebrow with the mildest of frowns. "Friendly exchanges with the kids you help with their studies hardly count. I'm talking about real connections."

Fabian closed his mouth, utterly defeated. He had always been on the quiet side, a loner through and through. But he had never _missed_ the presence of other people. He wasn't antisocial or anything along those lines. He answered other people when they talked to him and he had a group of classmates he was fairly comfortable having conversations with. Sure, he didn't approach people or take the initiative, but he had _friends_.

But according to his mother he was missing something. And it was about to hit him soon, from the looks of it.

Fabian stared at the floor and bit his lip. "So what do I do?"

Mrs. Rutter pulled a brochure out of her apron and placed it on the coffee table. "Be openminded and hear me out before you object," she cautioned. "There's this boarding school…"

"Boarding school?" he echoed blankly.

"It's very prestigious, and it's only a few hours from here! Their academics are renowned across England and dedicated students like yourself excel. Their academic program is challenging and perfect for you. The school is for students ranging from grade 6 to 12. You could start at the beginning and make it your home away from home. Everyone in your class would be new, yourself included. It would be like a new beginning, I really feel this might be just what you - "

"I'll go," Fabian interrupted. He had a faraway look in his eyes and a slight smile on his face.

What did have to lose? Maybe his mother was right. Maybe he could spend those critical teenage years in this different world of academia she was describing. He had read so many books and all the students in boarding school seemed to be so happy in terms of their social life and their academics. A school with a stellar record...this could work for him.

"Really?" Mrs. Rutter hugged him tightly. "Sweetheart, I think a school of this caliber is just what you need. I wasn't sure if you'd say yes, but I called for more information earlier this afternoon. If you enroll, you'll be placed in Anubis House."

"Anubis," Fabian repeated slowly. He reached for his book once more. "I really want to finish this before I start researching Egyptian mythology, but I'll definitely get started on that soon." He offered his mother a hesitant smile before turning his attention to the work in front of him.

Mrs. Rutter nodded, standing up to leave. "Of course, dear."

Part of her felt sad. Fabian was her whole world. To send him away would absolutely break her heart. The distance wasn't too great, but it still existed all the same. It didn't seem like much compared to his current mental distance. Fabian's thoughts had always been so intangible. She didn't know what it was, but something told her a boarding school would help discover himself and develop into the bright young man he was destined to become.

Fabian was brilliant, she knew. Capable of succeeding in life and interacting with people to a great extent. Maybe all he needed was a little push into an environment he could label as a comfort zone. If a prestigious boarding school famous for its stellar academics hadn't appealed to Fabian, she didn't know what would have.

Fabian was going to be perfectly fine. He was going to grow up into a fine young man and reach his full potential.

Anubis House would be his new home come fall.

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><p><strong>AN: **And that's the first one-shot complete. I honestly had a little trouble thinking of a reason for Fabian to attend boarding school because I did not want to completely invent family circumstances never alluded to in the television show. (Call it realistic fanfiction if you will.) It's still a little insight on how he could have ended up there though.

Hope you liked it! :) Please review - hearing your thoughts and opinions means a lot and would be fantastic.


	2. Patricia

**A/N: **Here is the Patricia one-shot. I hope you're all enjoying the read, because I certainly like writing it. I'd like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who alerted, marked, or reviewed it - I love hearing from people!

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><p>No one understood Patricia. (She wasn't misunderstood so much as she simply wasn't understood at all.) But this was the way she liked it. Putting up walls was safe, and she craved the protection.<p>

But as an innocent young girl, Patricia hadn't yet begun manipulating her physical appearance in order to put up a front and mask her feelings. Her pretty face was devoid of makeup and her hair wasn't streaked with wild color. Her wrist didn't sport rows of retro bracelets and her clothes weren't in shades of black or deep blue and purple. The word _goth_ hadn't even graced her vocabulary as of present.

Patricia had never been shy. In fact, she was relatively aggressive and outspoken. But only because it was easy to be. To verbally spar with her loser of a lab partner was easier than admitting she thought he was kind of cute. To ignore the girl who sat beside her in literature class was simpler than becoming her friend. To snap at her teachers was less risky than trusting them. Her frank nature was just a shield that hid her from the rest of the world.

She behaved the way she did because she was bitter. After all, why trust the people in her life when she couldn't rely on them? They never stayed, so why bother getting close at all? Though technically speaking, they never actually went anywhere. _She_ was the one that always left.

Patricia had moved more times than she could even count. It was just something her father's job demanded of them. At first, moving had been exciting. But by the third grade, the constant _adventures_ were nothing but exhausting. This time would be no exception.

"Patricia," he her mother pleaded. "Please don't be upset! You know why we have to go. This new town is only a few hours south from here, you can always visit back."

Mrs. Williamson had her stubborn daughter seated at the kitchen island. She leaned over to hold Patricia's hand, but she pulled her hand out of reach. "A few hours isn't good enough," Patricia mumbled. Tears threatened to spill over and she furiously wiped at her eyes. She hated letting people see her cry because it made her feel weak. She couldn't stand that.

She dabbed at the corner of her eyes, consumed with gloom. It wasn't that she was particularly attached to the town. How could she be? They had hardly stayed long enough for a connection along those lines. No, it was a matter of principle for Patricia. She just wanted a home. One with secure roots. She just wanted to feel stable and like she belonged. But that clearly wasn't meant to be. So she bit back a sob and met her mother's face of regret with a remorseful gaze of her own. "It's just not fair..."

Mrs Williamson sighed heavily. "I know. Patricia -"

"No!" Patricia snapped. She glared at her mother, realizing she was more angry than sad. Her fury and bitterness were dangerously close to the surface and she fought for control. "It's really _really_ not fair and I _refuse_ to go," she said defiantly with crossed arms and a fixed scowl. It wasn't the most mature of stances, but she was too worked up to even care.

"You can't stay here though," Mrs. Williamson replied helplessly. She wished she had a solution to offer her daughter, but she could think of none. Breaking the news to Patricia was always hard, and had become an almost annual hassle.

"Then let me stay _somewhere_," Patricia muttered darkly. They sat in silence for a minute before Patricia straightened in her chair, her eyes bright. "Boarding school!" she suddenly blurted out. "I could do middle school there?" Patricia couldn't hide the hope in her voice. Three years in one place sounded so good and unlike anything she'd ever known. "Maybe even high school," she added. A total of _seven_ years sounded simply incredible.

Mrs. Williamson nodded slowly. She would have to consult her husband, but she already knew this was exactly what Patricia needed. Why it had never crossed her own mind, she wasn't sure. "Okay," she finally whispered. She just wanted her little girl to be happy after all.

"Thank you!" Patricia said gratefully, throwing her arms around her mother in a rare display of affection. "Thank you so much."

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><p>When September came, Patricia was not unpacking bases upon boxes with her parents like the dozens of times before. She was hundreds of kilometers away, unpacking her bags alone. She was settling herself into Anubis House: her new home and the start of her new life.<p>

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><p><strong>AN: **Thanks for reading. I think this chapter came out better than the last, I'm certainly more satisfied with it to say the least. Review and tell me what you think please - it really is great to have a gist of the general opinions of readers. Thanks so much. :)


	3. Amber

Amber examined her nails and squealed in delight. "It looks perfect," she gushed. "I really think this shade of green makes my eyes pop, don't you think dad?" Amber waved her hands in front of her father's face, fully knowing the gesture wouldn't be appreciated. She sighed when her father ignored her and observed her nails once more. "Well I think they look fabulous," she finally said, sneaking a peek at her father's expression.

Blank. Mr. Millington's face was stripped free of emotion and all Amber could tell was that he was concentrating. She leaned forward to look at the stack of papers and saw several official looking documents. From what she could tell, they were all finance related. Her father rarely had time for her.

Amber wasn't one to give up though. When her father had backed out of watching a movie with her, Amber had been disappointed. But things came up, she understood. Amber liked to think she broke the rich kid stereotype. Sure, she was an only child who loved to shop. And granted, most of her materialistic requests were not denied and she lived a luxurious life. _However_, she wasn't spoiled to the core. Her heart was in the right place, and currently, it longed for some proper attention.

"Dad, are you almost done?" Amber reached for the television remote knowing what her father's response would be.

"No Amber, I'm not," her father snapped, clearly frustrated. "My work would go faster if you'd stop interrupting," he reached for another file and looked up only to give his daughter a look of deep disapproval.

Amber returned his gaze with a haughty glare of her own. "Well that was rude," she huffed, turning her attention to the television. "Oh daddy, _look!_" Amber tapped his shoulder excitedly, her annoyance already forgotten. "It's Thanksgiving time in the states. The news is talking about Black Friday," Amber said. "It's this really cool thing that Americans do. They go shopping the day after the whole turkey thing and shop for Christmas and hunt for deals and whatnot. Apparently the deals are_ really_ good," Amber wrapped her arms her father's neck and gave him a big hug. "Oh daddy, can't we do something similar?"

"I'm_ working_, Amber," he replied impatiently, gently untangling her arms from around his neck. He closed his eyes and slowly counted to ten. He didn't _want_ to yell at his little princess. She did make it difficult though. "Besides," he opened his eyes and leaned back in his chair. "London doesn't even have the concept of Black Friday, dear. You know that."

Amber shrugged and pouted. "I just wanted to go shopping with you," she admitted. "We could both use a pair of new shoes," she said brightly, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. "What do you think?"

"I just don't have the time," Mr. Millington said sharply.

Amber bit her lip and sighed. Shopping wasn't what this was really about. She didn't know why she had even tried. If her father didn't have enough time to watch a movie with her, he certainly didn't have enough time to take her shopping. Sure, she would love to own those cute green boots, but that wasn't what was really important here. She just wanted to spend some time with him. Her mother was out making social calls and her nanny was on holiday break. Thanksgiving or not, even people in England were kicking off the holiday season with their families this weekend. Why wasn't she allowed to do the same?

The neglected girl was losing patience. "Honestly," she snatched up one of the papers off his desk. "What is so important about all of these anyway?"

She knew she was whining but she hardly cared. "Boarding fee for Anubis House," she read aloud.

"Amber, please don't - " Mr. Millington began to plead.

"Boarding fee?" Amber looked up in surprise. "_You're sending me to boarding school?_"

Mr. Millington buried his face in his hands. This wasn't how he had wanted her to find out. He had his reasons but she would probably never understand now.

"When were you going to tell me?" Amber murmured, surprisingly calm. She couldn't hide the hurt in her voice though.

"Sweetheart," Mr. Millington stood up and took the paper from her hands. "It's only November, you still have six months here. We were going to tell you this summer, after your elementary school graduation," he said softly.

"I thought I was different from all those wealthy kids who are sent away from home, but I guess I'm not," Amber said bitterly.

"It's not like that."

"Isn't it though?" She wiped at the traitor tears that slid down her cheeks. "You're right though, it is November. Too bad we're not in America, celebrating the value of family and all that," she muttered.

Mr. Millington winced. "I'm so sorry, dear." He pushed his paper aside. "How about that movie you were talking about?" He asked hopefully.

"No thank you," Amber said formally. "I'm going to go to do a little research, if you don't mind."

His phone rang and Mr. Millington looked helplessly from Amber to the ringing device. "I need to take this," he whispered apologetically.

Amber's last hope vanished and she nodded and turned to run up the stairs. She booted up the family computer and immediately googled Anubis House. So much for spending time with family. The sooner she got to know her new home, the better.

On the bright side, she would have _a lot_ of shopping to do...

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><p><strong>AN: **Aww poor Amber, right? Both Fabian and Patricia wanted to go to boarding school and they had the important talk with their mothers, so I thought I'd switch things up a bit. Hope you guys liked it.

As always, thanks for all the favorites and alerts. I'd love to see some more reviews as well, so please share your thoughts! :)


	4. Mick

Mick stood on the front of his porch, panting and out of breath. He had just finished a five kilometer run as a kick off to the summer. He couldn't wait for the couple of months that lay ahead; his days would be filled with nothing but morning jogs and sports with his friends. He took a swig from his water bottle and made a mental note to call his buddies to set up tomorrow's football match in the park.

"Good evening!" Mick bellowed, entering the house. The phrase was so formal a greeting that he found it extremely hilarious. His sense of humor wasn't the most impressive, but his mother smiled from the living room as he quickly walked over and pecked her on the cheek.

"Well someone's in a good mood," she teased affectionately, giving her son a quick hug. "Oh, why don't you go ahead and wash up before supper. Your father's home early tonight and we want to eat as a family," she wrinkled her nose pointedly at Mick's disheveled hair and damp clothes.

"Sure," Mick glanced at the home study door on his way to the bathroom. "I didn't realize dad would be home so early though," Mick added from the top of the stairs. He craned his neck in an effort to catch a glimpse of the elegant grandfather clock showcased in the living room. It wasn't even six in the evening. Mick frowned. Well that was odd. He knew he was rather oblivious, but his father always came home late because of night shifts at the hospital. The difference was quite easy to notice.

"Is something wrong, mum?" Mick asked curiously. He hadn't yet moved from his place at the top of the stairs. He was conscious of his sweaty body and the grimy feeling from running so hard, but something told him to finish this conversation first. Something just seemed strange to him.

Mrs. Campbell looked up from her book, startled. She hadn't realized Mick hadn't left yet. "Of course not," she murmured hastily. "Where would you get a silly idea like that from? Go take your shower," she smiled as reassuringly as she could, praying her son wouldn't notice her hesitation.

Mick being the easygoing unconcerned person he was, did not notice anything at all. Easily appeased, he shot his mother a cheerful grin. "All right then. Be down in a little while, I promise I won't take long."

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><p>Clean and refreshed, Mick bounded down the stairs minutes later. His parents were already seated at the dining table. "There you are, son." Mr. Campbell patted the seat next to him and motioned for Mick to join them. "Your mother was just going to call for you."<p>

"Good to see you home early tonight," Mick replied easily. "Oh man, this all looks so good. I'm really _really_ hungry after that run," Mick piled some potatoes and chicken onto his plate before beaming stupidly at his mother. "Thanks for making all my favorites!"

Mrs. Campbell laughed but kept her eyes on her plate. Any moment her husband would tell Mick about their big decision. She wondered how he'd feel about boarding school. She sincerely hoped he wouldn't put too much of a fight because once Mr. Campbell's mind was set on something, he rarely compromised. The problem was that Mick shared that same characteristic of stubbornness. She could only hope for the best.

Mr. Campbell cleared his throat and turned to Mick. "So, son. Ever heard of coronary artery bypass surgery?"

"Uh, no." Mick looked up from his food and answered between mouthfuls. "The only passing I've heard of is the kind done in sports. Like in football or lacrosse, you know?"

Mr. Campbell made a humming noise and his expression was full of dissatisfaction. Worried her two favorite men would argue, Mrs. Campbell thought it wise to step in. "Mick, dear. I think your father was referring to heart problems, not games of any kind."

"_Oh_," Mick reached for the the chicken and served himself seconds. "Well why didn't he just say?"

"Mick," Mr. Campbell began frustratedly. He quickly softened his voice upon meeting his wife's warning look. "Mick," he started again. "Son, by now, you must know how much I want you to become a doctor. It's such a noble profession. It's what I do, and it's what your grandfather did, and so forth."

"Well I don't really know what I want to be," Mick replied. He glanced at both of his parents curiously. So he had been right. Something _was_ going on. He just wished he could figure out what. "I just finished the fifth grade, you know? There's plenty of time to figure things out…"

"Not as much as you think," Mr. Campbell interrupted grimly. "Status really matters. In order to receive admission to a good college and then an advanced medical school, you're going to have to receive solid secondary school education. High school will really matter. Even middle school."

"I start middle school in the fall," Mick said, reaching for his water glass. "I mean, the school is called_ Rocky_ Prep. That's pretty solid, wouldn't you say so?" Mick laughed at his own joke and grimaced when neither one of his parents laughed at his joke. "Rocky as in rock. Didn't you get it?"

Mrs. Campbell smiled at him weakly while Mr. Campbell merely sighed. "Listen, Mick. What I'm saying is, I'm set on making sure you receive the finest education."

"Are we moving to a better district or something?" Mick guessed. It had to be something big. Clearly, that's where both his parents were headed. How had he not noticed how uncomfortable his mother had been this entire? It meant this had to be huge. Oh god...what if his father said sports were ruining his future or something along those lines? He wouldn't be able to bear it…

"We're not moving, no." Mr. Campbell waved his hand in front of Mick's face, snapping him out of his trance. "You will however, be going to a prestigious boarding school."

"_What?_"

"It's a very _very_ good school," Mr. Campbell said simply. "You start September. I just wanted to let you know well in advance."

"I've looked into it as well," Mrs. Campbell added. "You'll love it there, Mick."

Mick sat in his chair frozen. He couldn't process this. How did he feel? His first instinct was to be angry…but he realized he wasn't. He was simply numb. It wasn't that his parents didn't want him. He wasn't that stupid. They wanted the best for him, that much he knew. They wanted him to become a _doctor_. He wasn't sure if that's what he wanted but he certainly didn't want to ruin a family tradition. Plus his father was so firm about it...

It wasn't as if attending a boarding school sealed his fate for medical school, right? Mick breathed deeply, trying his hardest to stay rational. He knew he looked puzzled and confused. His mother always joked that he looked clueless when deep in thought. Well he was so deep in thought right now, that he was simply over his head.

"You're not going to change your mind about this, are you?" Mick said slowly. He didn't know why he even bothered to ask…not when he already knew the answer.

"No," both his parents replied together.

"Oh Mick," his mother said sympathetically. "We know it's a lot to take in…but we have all the brochures with us. We want to go over the details together. We want you to be happy, sweetheart."

Mr. Campbell nodded gruffly. He wasn't completely blind. He knew his son was a little shocked. But Mick was just like him. _Strong._ He would be all right. Mr. Campbell hated to seem like the bad guy, but he knew that Mick would thank him in the future. He coughed lightly. "If it's any comfort to you at all…they do have a decent sports program. I did look into it. You can play whatever you'd like."

Mick smiled faintly. "I think I'd like that."

Mrs. Campbell grabbed him by the arm, motioning for her husband to clear the table. "Let's have a look at those brochures, shall we? I remember the admission letter said you'd be living in Anubis House. Doesn't that sound like a fascinating name?"

"Anubis House," Mick repeated. "Yeah, it sounds great."

At this point in time, he truly had no clue how he felt. All he knew was that losing his temper wouldn't have helped. He was too afraid to have gone that route anyway, his father intimidated him far too much for him to even consider rage as an option. And at least his father had remembered how much sports mean to him. That had to be a good sign, right?

_Anubis House_. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad...

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><p><strong>AN: **Mick isn't one of my favorite characters, but ironically his one-shot turned out to be one of the longer ones. I hope you all liked it - I tried to intertwine his big appetite and athletic nature in there for all you Mick fans! :)

Also - I had a quick question for all my readers. With the exception of Poppy, I don't believe any siblings have ever been mentioned on the show. Am I wrong? If so, please let me know. Regardless, I was wondering if I should create siblings for some of the characters in some of the upcoming chapters...it seems unlikely that they would all be only children. With that said, I'm not sure I want to speculate. I could simply not mention siblings at all like I've been doing, that's still an option. I'd like to hear your thoughts on that so **please review! **Feedback is always great.

I do have a lot of alerts and favorites for which I am very grateful for, but it'd be nice to hear what you all are thinking and what you'd like to see in future chapters. But anyway, thanks for everything! :)


	5. Mara

**A/N: **I haven't had the time to update in a few days, so I'm sorry about that. I try to update daily, but it's been a crazy week thus far. I hope everyone enjoyed their Valentines Day with their loved ones be it their significant other or even family and friends.

With that said, we're half way there -this is chapter 5 of 10. Happy reading!

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><p>Mara stared at the extra credit math problem, her brow furrowed. It was a complicated equation that would require a fair amount of manipulation, but she enjoyed a good challenge. She glanced up to check the time. Only five minutes remaining until testing time elapsed. She knew she could hand in her math final as is and receive her 100, but who was she kidding? When report cards arrived in July, she wanted to see that <em>105<em>. She blinked and resumed the problem, more determined than mere seconds before. She was going to crack this final exam.

The bell rang obnoxiously and the majority of Mara's classmates jumped in their seats, groaning in defeat. They submitted their papers with a scowl. _Mara_, on the other hand, placed hers on the desk with indifference on her face but brightness in her eyes. She had of course managed to solve the extra credit problem.

"That exam was tough, don't you think?" Sara linked arms with Mara and the two friends made their way to the gym for last period.

"I quite enjoyed it, actually," Mara countered, shooting her good friend an apologetic look. "I like math. In fact, I don't understand why on the last day of school, we _still_ have to participate in physical education. Why not give us a written exam for that too?"

Sara rolled her eyes in response but offered Mara a warm smile all the same. "Well I fancy running over written exams." She pushed the girls locker door open and the two slipped inside. "And besides…in addition to today being the last day of school, today is also the last day of our track and field unit. I've had a great time!"

"I'm sure," Mara replied dryly, wrinkling her nose.

The pair finished changing and headed outside to run laps as demanded. Mara finished last, out of breath and panting. Her face was hot and she felt a little lightheaded. She couldn't tell if it was from the running or from the embarrassment. She could only hope her face wasn't too flushed.

"Genetics at it's best!" One of her classmates called, snickering from the finish line. "Not a chip off the old block, are you?"

"I'm really _really _not," Mara mumbled ruefully. She hated when her classmates compared her to her parents. So she wasn't as fast as her father. And when it came to handing hockey sticks...let's just say she wasn't particularly talented. Nevertheless...her lack of skill shouldn't matter.

_But of course it did._

Mara detested being bad at something. It was in her nature to excel and achieve. She put her heart and soul into everything she did, especially her studies. Usually, her efforts yielded success. But athletics….nothing she did seemed to work. She just _couldn't_**_._ **Hand-eye coordination was a concept simply beyond her. On paper it made perfect sense. When she tried it herself…complete failure. (A word whose existence Mara hardly acknowledged.)

She also hated being compared to her parents. That was the worst. She was her own person and she wanted to be appreciated for _herself_. She wanted to be known for her own accomplishments. She wanted to be just _Mara_ not "daughter of star athletes." That wasn't too much to ask for. At least she didn't think so.

The rest of the period passed without incident and Mara hugged Sara and her other friends, promising to spend time with them over the summer. She entered her house and let her backpack slide to the floor. She closed her eyes and sighed loudly. Extreme physical activity made her feel_exhausted_.

"What's wrong, Mara?"

"Mom!" Mara exclaimed, opening her eyes in surprise. "Nothing," she assured hastily. "Just tired. I thought you'd be at practice?"

Mrs. Jaffray placed her hands on Mara's shoulders and steered her to the kitchen. "No, I wanted to be home. There's something I wanted to talk to you about it."

"What is it?" Mara asked worriedly. She hated surprises. They made her feel anxious and out of control. And she preferred to be in control. A firm believer in the idea of creating one's own destiny and all that.

"It's good news," Mrs. Jaffray reassured. "My team is going to the United States to train for the world hockey finals," she said excitedly. "Oh Mara!" She pulled her daughter into a big hug and smiled into her hair. "Isn't that great news?"

"That's fantastic!" Mara immediately returned the embrace before pulling away in confusion. The news had sunk in and the possible repercussions were ringing in her mind like alarms. "What about dad and I? What happens to us?"

"Naturally your father will come along. He can continue his training there. He has plenty of US contacts," Mrs. Jaffray sat back down next to Mara and smoothed her skirt. "The training will last months, possibly a year or so. And then there's the actual championship."

Mara blinked. She was afraid her mother would say something like that. Red flags were shooting up in Mara's mind and she stared at her mother guardedly. "What about me?" Her voice was calm and careful. But mostly it reflected her curiosity. Her _nervous _curiosity.

Mrs. Jaffray wrung her hands together, a little worried. "Well…we found a good boarding school that we think you would love. Your father isn't home but we would like you to at least consider it."

Mara's eyes widened. "Boarding school…" She bit her lip. "I don't know how I feel about that. How can you just leave me like that? This is my _home. _Boarding school means meeting new people. It's a big risk and I don't like risks…"

"It's also a challenge," Mrs. Jaffray pointed out. "And you love those."

Mara simply frowned. "Yes but - "

"We want you to have a good future, Mara. Never doubt our love for you," Mrs. Jaffray said softly. "But dear, we admit to being selfish. We do want it all. We value our careers and we also want the best for you. With the hectic nature our schedule "the best for you" is this school. You would adore the honors program..."

Mara couldn't help herself. Call it her unbridled curiosity. "Honors program?"

Mrs. Jaffray beamed. "That's my girl. We'll talk about it when your father comes home, okay? I promise everything will be all right…the boarding house is even named after that Roman God of Life that fascinates you so much. Anubis!"

"Egyptian God of Death," Mara immediately corrected.

Mrs. Jaffray waved her hand carelessly as if to say _whatever, you know I don't care_.Mara couldn't help but giggle. Her mother was too adorable. But... _boarding school. _It was scary. It was unexpected. But more than that, it was _promising._

The thing about Mara was that she aspired to absorb knowledge. She loved to learn. Education was her everything.

Her heart told her to be afraid of a new school away from home. It practically screamed at her to be angry at her parents for abandoning her like this. But Mara had always weighed reason over emotion. To her, following her heart _was _reason in itself.

Her parents didn't have the time to give her the proper amount of attention she would so desperately need as a growing teenager. They were busy with their career; successful and so happy with athletic passions they loved. Mara could never take that from them. She knew how much her parents loved her, despite their wild lives as professional athletes. And in the end that was all that mattered...she would get over her fears. She would be okay with this.

Because if nothing else Anubis House made perfect sense. It made her parents free to pursue their dreams. It gave Mara the chance to study advanced curriculum. It was just _logical._

And Mara was all about logic.

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><p><strong>AN: **And finished. I'm not sure how exactly I feel about this, but I knew I had to work in Mara's sporty background from season one. Love it? Hate it? Let me know either way, please review. :)


	6. Jerome

**A/N: **Hope you enjoyed the last chapter and sorry for all the typos. When I was skimming through it, I realized there were more errors than the usual couple. I now know not to attempt writing too late at night!

Just a quick note for this chapter: I varied the style a little bit. There is a small portion that takes place in the past which is indicated by the fact that it is all in italics. Since Jerome has such a crazy background, I thought this style might be worth trying. Let me know what you think. :)

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><p>Jerome entered his dorm room and quickly locked the door. He was beyond overwhelmed and he just wanted to sit alone and think. He spent half of his time battling loneliness and trying to fill the void inside his heart that ate away at his soul. But right now he reveled in his solitude and breathed deeply, extremely grateful for the fact that no one was around. (He had a reputation to protect; he couldn't risk being seen as pensive or even worse...as <em>serious<em>.)

Summer had come upon him faster than he had seen coming. He could hardly believe it…he had graduated from Green Hill Prep. He knew he was remarkably bright (a fact that he actively tried to hide) and so he had never doubted the fact that he would pass. But still. He didn't think it would be so soon. This school had been his home since he was five years old. Jerome was eleven now, but the memories were still vivid in his mind. He could remember it as if it was yesterday itself.

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><p><em>"Please don't leave me!" Jerome sobbed. He clung to his mother's leg and bawled uncontrollably. He couldn't believe that she was leaving him. How could she do that to him? He wanted her to take care of him. He needed her more than anything.<em>

_"Jerome," Mrs. Clarke said miserably. "I'm so sorry," she cried. "I don't want to do this, I swear I don't…"_

_"Then don't do it!" Jerome wiped away at his tears the best he could, trying to be brave. He wiped his nose on his sleeve and stared up at his mom with wide blue teary eyes. "Poppy gets to stay," he hiccuped. "Let me stay too…"_

_Mrs. Clarke lifted him up off the ground and squeezed him hard. "If things were different Jerome…" she choked. "If your father was here. If he was reliable…"_

_"Where is dad?" Jerome asked, his tone laced with innocence and curiosity. "You never said."_

_Mrs. Clarke didn't meet his eyes. She couldn't. She would see the hurt in her little boy's expression and she would break. And it was imperative that she didn't. This is where he had to be. She simply could not bear it any other way._

_"Good-bye Jerome," she whispered. "I'll see you during the holidays," she promised._

_Jerome didn't try to stop her this time. She so clearly didn't want him. He had been abandoned. Left to rot. He turned and stared at the school's entrance and quietly joined the line of children queuing at the front door._

_His heart had been shattered and he was left broken._

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><p>Jerome flopped onto his bed and wiped a stray tear from his eye, again thankful that he was alone. His heart still hurt, even years later. Especially since he understood now. He didn't know what had happened to his dad…his mother had never said; even when he visited during the school breaks. Eventually he had stopped asking...it was clear she would never tell him. But now he realized that his father's absence had pained her greatly. To the point where Jerome reminded her of him and brought her sorrow. He was sure of it. That's why Poppy had been allowed to remain. She was younger and hadn't acquired their father's mannerisms whatsoever. Not to mention she was a girl. It was okay for Poppy to be with their mother. But it wasn't okay for him. That knowledge ripped him to pieces.<p>

As he grew older, the memories of his father had begun to fade. Trying to remember was difficult. Depressing too. And so he didn't. He wasn't sure what day he started mentally blocking his dismal family history, but one day it just kind of happened. And he had been doing it ever since. He was just so bitter as it was. It was easier to try to forget that he had been carelessly left to deteriorate than to ponder about his pain.

It was constantly on his mind. The fact that no one cared for him. The fact that no one_ loved_ him. Not one single soul. And so he hid. He put on the mask of class clown. He pulled pranks on kids, considered himself king of practical jokes, and claimed sarcasm as his own personal talent. Some of his jokes were a little mean sometimes. But he figured it was a more constructive way of releasing his bitterness than dropping out of school and committing to a life of hardcore crime.

Even though he had never wanted to be at this boarding school, it had become his home. But the school was only for grades K-5 and he had to find a new school to transfer to. Jerome stared at the wall blankly. He would have to start all over. Reestablish himself as devious and as a force not to be messed with. He sat up straight and groaned. Being him was _hard._

A knock on the door snapped Jerome out of his thoughts and he moved to unlock and open the door.

"Jerome!" Mrs. Clarke exclaimed, pulling him into a hug. "You've grown so tall," she admired.

He smiled in response and mumbled a vague response before pulling his duffel bag over his shoulder. His mother reached for his other bag and they descended out of the dorm and down the steps in silence.

This is how it was with them. They were polite. They were kind. They were sometimes even affectionate. Jerome could sometimes detect the guilt in his mother's eyes but he surprisingly never commented on it. She never made any moves to apologize either. Ever since that day so many years ago…the shift had occurred. They were distant and just oh so _far._ Jerome had long since reconciled himself to the fact that they would never be close.

"It's a three hour drive home," Mrs. Clarke stacked his belongings in the trunk of the car and unlocked the front seat. "How about I brief you on your new boarding school? Your dorm won't be called North Tower anymore. This one is called Anubis House," she said. "Interesting name, right?"

"Whatever," Jerome hopped into the passenger seat and pulled his mp3 player, hoping she would get the hint.

Mrs. Clarke saw him pull out the device and smiled meekly. "Oh okay then," she murmured. "We'll talk about it later." She carefully backed out of the school's parking lot and headed for the main road. "Poppy is quite excited to see you, you know."

"I'm sure," he couldn't stop the gentle smile that spread upon his face.

Poppy was actually one of the bright spots in his life (though he'd never tell her) and he loved her dearly. They exchanged letters often and though he teased her mercilessly when he was home, they did spend quality time together, maintaing the pretense of disliking one another.

He stuck his headphones into his ears while his mother continued to prattle on, occasionally mumbling about Anubis House.

_Anubis House._

His new soon to be prison. It was kind of like solitary confinement in the sense that he would be left alone.

_Like always._

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><p><strong>AN: **And there it is: Jerome's one-shot! I find him to be one of the most interesting characters on the show. He certainly has a lot of depth, especially when it comes to his past. (By the way - I'm about two weeks behind on Season 2 so if anything has happened that negates information I wrote, just consider it slightly AU.)

All done with this chapter. As always, please review! :)


	7. Alfie

**A/N: **Hello there. Happy Presidents Day weekend to all my American readers! I personally have a four day weekend off from school and am _psyched _about that. Hope everyone has as good a time as I do! With that said, I have some quick notes to make.

**1) **I didn't realize I had anonymous reviews turned off so I rectified that earlier today. I realize not everyone has an account and I'd like to hear from as many people as possible and I didn't mean to shut people out, so sorry about that. (Though please don't take advantage of this.)

**2) **I finally caught up with HoA and found out about Patricia's twin sister. I'm so tempted to go back and rewrite my Patricia chapter because _woah_, I didn't see that coming. But it's written and done so I'll let it be.

**3) **And finally, I apologize that this chapter is shorter than most. There's a fair amount of dialogue but it's still not as long as I would have liked it. Hope you enjoy it all the same.

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><p>Alfie had the worst luck in the world. Of this he was sure. He settled himself onto the window seat inside his room and leaned his head back against the wall, completely dejected. He would probably be grounded for the rest of his life! Sighing, he twiddled his thumbs and waited for his parents to barge in and confirm his suspicions.<p>

_His parents._ As much as Alfie loved them, he definitely considered them as the first piece of evidence that he was incredibly unlucky. How had he been born into an ultra strict family? How did he have the most rigid father in the world? The most meticulous and proper mother in the world?

Because…_come on_. Alfie was nothing like them at all. He was spontaneous. He was goofy and laid-back. A little insensible at times but still so loving and affectionate. And his sense of humor was just wicked seeing as he was undoubtedly the funniest person he had ever met. All in all, Alfie was just_ fun_. So of course in all his wildness, Alfie was convinced that he had fairly bad luck with belonging to the family he did.

But it was only after having been expelled did Alfie realize just how misfortunate he really was. It was honestly a harmless prank. The bucket full of mud precariously perched on the upper ledge of a door was a classic! The first person to walk in would have been a messy is all. It was totally harmless and actually pretty hysterical too. Why the first person had to be the _superintendent of schools_ making his annual inspection…well Alfie wasn't sure. If that wasn't bad luck, he didn't know what was.

The only bright part of this fiasco was that the worst was over. Alfie had been kicked out a whole two days ago and his father had exhausted his anger early on. There wouldn't be a lot more lecturing considering how Mr. Lewis had ranted and raved over the last couple of days. The only thing that was left was his punishment.

Alfie shuddered. He hoped he wouldn't be sent to a reform school or something. Because really? He wasn't intensely bad. He was "attempting to be hilarious" bad. There was a tremendous difference and he believed that should count for something. (Because reform boys were tough and evil and oh god they would _crush _him.)

"Alfie!" Mr. Lewis boomed, entering his room with Mrs. Lewis at his heels. His voice held a tone of finality. He had obviously decided on his course of action.

"Yes?" Alfie replied shakily. He was so scared that he could feel his hands shaking. He cleared his throat. "How's your day going?"

Mr. Lewis rubbed his temples impatiently. "It's been terrible thus far, how silly and irrelevant for you to ask," he snapped. "How could you sink so low as to pull such a drastic prank on the superintendent? He's an authority figure!"

"I didn't know it was him!" Alfie protested, jumping to his feet. "Mom, say something! You know I didn't know."

Mrs. Lewis merely shook her head, surprisingly calm. "You shouldn't have been pranking_ anyone_, never mind the fact that it was an authority figure."

Alfie groaned. "I know," he muttered. "But it's my hobby, I love it!"

Mr. Lewis threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. "My son's _hobby_ is to make other peoples' lives miserable. Where did I go wrong?"

Mrs. Lewis nodded in agreement. "He couldn't have been a _stamp _collector or something tame like that," she murmured under her breath.

Alfie couldn't help but grin. He tugged at the collar his shirt appreciatively. "I don't think you went wrong at all," he joked, wiggling his eyebrows with a wide smile.

"Alfred Lewis!" Mr. Lewis narrowed his eyes and glared at him. "Don't you _dare_ make jokes after shaming the family like this. You're soiling our good name!"

Alfie coughed lightly. "That's a little drastic…" he mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing!" Alfie reclaimed his seat by the window and crossed his arms. "I'm a failure, we've established. What's the punishment?" He closed his eyes in anticipation. He was ready for the worst.

"Boarding school," Mrs. Lewis said. "No school in our district would take you," she added. "Your father is quite influential, but not even he could save you this time."

Alfie couldn't believe what he was hearing. Leaving was _punishment_? It sounded like an adventure to him. He always had to be careful around his parents, his humor had been poorly received since birth. (He had discovered scissors at age three, cutting his father's credit cards to bits who naturally hadn't taken it well.) He was constantly getting in trouble and in general being restrained. Boarding school sounded like the _perfect_ place to taste freedom. It was as if college had hit him a good seven years early. This was_ brilliant_ news to tell the truth. He was almost surprised at how he pleased he felt.

"Alright!" he responded quickly.

Mr. Lewis stared at him suspiciously and began to open his mouth before Alfie quickly beat him to it. He pouted and stomped his foot for good measure. "I mean…this is so unfair!"

Mr. Lewis rolled his eyes and turned around to exit. "Deal with him," he said curtly. "I'm in no mood."

Mrs. Lewis patted his shoulder and sat beside Alfie. "You'll be living in Anubis House, I suppose we should talk about the details…"

Alfie scooted closer and nodded, doing his best to contain his excitement. He was a "live in the moment" person. He wasn't too rooted to his home. This Anubis House place sounded like fun to him.

Surprisingly, he couldn't wait.

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><p><strong>AN: **I went for a lighter tone for this one since it's Alfie we're talking about haha. :) We're nearing the end of this fic and I'm going to miss it when it's gone. I was considering doing a collection of Eddie and Patricia one-shots since I think they're _adorable _and I really like the one-shot style. However, I know there's a bunch already out there so I may or may not. Thoughts on that would be greatly appreciated in addition to comments on the chapter. As always, please review!


	8. Joy

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOY!"

Mr. Mercer tackle-hugged his daughter, going as far as to lift her in the air before putting her down with a small grunt. Mrs. Mercer hugged her next, smiling into her hair. Their little girl was one year older and today was a day of celebrations.

Joy shrieked with delight and took a good look at the decorated living room. There were colorful streamers carefully draped all about and large balloons tied to every other piece of furniture. A "Happy Birthday" banner hung above their heads and Joy squealed once more.

"You guys are the best," she gushed. "It's almost like my birthday is a holiday!" She reached for one of her mother's homemade cupcakes and licked the pink icing off. "July 7th: Joy day!" she giggled and finished off the cupcake, still beaming.

Mr. Mercer frowned deeply before remembering where he was and who he was with. He couldn't let the significance of that date torment him. He couldn't focus on the fact that his daughter might be…_the chosen one_. "Enjoy the day with your friends, baby," he said distractedly. "Your mother and I are taking you out for dinner in the evening."

"Sounds great," Joy replied. She was about to say something more but was cut off by the shrill ring of the home telephone. "Oh, that's probably for me!" she glanced at the phone and surprise crossed her face. "What an odd area code…whoever it is lives nowhere close."

"I'll take that," Mr. Mercer said hurriedly, snatching the phone from her hands. "Yes, good morning Victor…."

"Victor?" Joy mouthed. "Who is that?"

Mr. Mercer covered the receiver before answering, "Colleague from work. I'll be with you in a few minutes." He uncovered the phone and walked out of the room to finish his phone call.

"Poor daddy is always working," Joy commented, before reaching for the first gift bag. "Well these presents aren't going to open themselves, come on, mom! My friends will be here soon, I want to see all my gifts first."

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><p><em>Later that evening...<em>

"I have some bad news," Mr. Mercer announced. He tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. "Well it depends on how you take it, but I feel like you're going to consider it bad."

Joy pouted and motioned to her plate. "Dad, it's my _birthday _dinner. Can't this wait?"

Mrs. Mercer nodded in agreement but Mr. Mercer pressed forward. "I'm afraid it can't. It has come to my attention that one of our partner's daughter was kidnapped earlier this morning. Our company could be next."

Mrs. Mercer gripped Joy's wrist and stared at her husband worriedly. "So what are you saying?"

"I could be next," he clarified. "You two know what I'm saying. Joy, you could be in serious danger."

Joy seemed unfazed. "Sounds kind of glamorous," she reached for her glass of water and shrugged.

"This is a very serious matter!" Mr. Mercer exclaimed. "I would have waited to tell you this if I could have, but this is of upmost importance. I have been recommended to place you in boarding school."

"Boarding school!" Joy exclaimed. She was certainly paying attention now. "You must be joking!"

Mr. Mercer bit his lip nervously. "You know, maybe this was a mistake. We _should _just talk about this later, we've still got another month and half to finalize plans and…"

"Let's talk about this now," Joy snapped. "Do I not get a say in this at all?"

Mr. Mercer looked pained. "Unfortunately not. It's for your _safety_, dear."

Joy's eyes widened. "This is ridiculous," she hissed. "Mom?"

Mrs. Mercer stared at her daughter apologetically. "You know I'd normally side with you, but your life could be at risk. How can we afford to leave you here unprotected?"

"The school I've chosen will keep you safe, Joy," Mr. Mercer promised. "I'm friends with the headmaster, I was actually talking to him this morning. He'll keep you in his own dorm house as an extra precaution. He's brilliant."

Mr. Mercer felt terrible…lying to his baby girl like this. But they had to be sure that Joy was the chosen one. No one had been kidnapped and his business was doing just fine. But if the drastic lie is what it took to get Joy in Victor's surroundings…it was worth it. Mr. Mercer had the society at heart and so did Victor. It would just be easiest if she was placed in the location she would need to be in a few years. With the special hour approaching in only a couple years…well. Mr. Mercer was convinced he was doing the right thing.

"So that's who Victor _really _is," Joy said.

Mr. Mercer blinked, trying to refocus himself. What was his daughter saying?

"I don't want to go!"

Oh, that's what she was saying.

He reached out and took both of her hands in his own. "I know you don't want to go," he said softly. "But you understand why you have to, right?" Joy nodded miserably and he took it as permission to continue. "You'll be staying in a place called Anubis House, and you'll make lots of friends. You're going to do middle school and high school on one of the most beautiful campuses in England and in once you've adjusted you won't even want to come home for the holidays," he assured. "I promise it will be _wonderful_."

Joy sighed. "Whatever," she muttered. "I guess we can talk about it later."

Mr. Mercer shot Mrs. Mercer a look, intensely relieved. Looks like they had adverted a major crisis.

"But for all this drama, you're going to be buying Mom and I the most _expensive _dessert," Joy said, reaching for the menu.

Mr. Mercer leaned back into his chair and inwardly groaned. Looks like he had considered himself in he clear a moment too soon. Signaling for the waiter, Mr. Mercer sighed with worry. He could only hope that Victor was playing his cards right…and this was indeed the right move to make.

Because as important as the society was, he loved Joy so much more. He'd have to remind himself to never lose sight of that.

_Joy first, society second._

He was saying the right words…but was he doing the right thing?

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><p><strong>AN: **Finished. I'm assuming that if Mr. Mercer was a part of the society, he would have been so for quite some time. I tried to work that history in there but for whatever reason I personally didn't like this one too much. :c Hope you all were more satisfied.

Leave me your thoughts (be it positive or negative) in a review!


	9. Nina

**A/N: **Chapter 9 - we're almost done! Thanks for sticking with me and reading - it's been so much fun exploring possible histories of our favorite characters. This is Nina's one-shot and it's kind of short only because I feel the pilot episode from season one developed Nina's arrival pretty well. I feel like I could have done a better job with this but it's still something and I did want to update. So here it is. :)

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><p>Nina drummed her fingers against the table and reached for the pencil resting behind her right ear. For the third time that morning, Nina started writing. Her other miserable essay attempts lay crumpled up and abandoned in the trash can.<p>

_These boarding school applications are way harder than I thought they would be. I feel as if I'm applying for college or something!_

Nina hummed absentmindedly and stared at the essentially blank paper in front of her. She wished this essay would just write itself. It was literally her last application and she had been putting it off for a while now. In fact, she had already _submitted_ the other applications weeks ago. She was sure that her grandmother wouldn't mind if she ditched this particular application but Nina herself hated to leave things incomplete.

She wasn't even sure which school this for. She had filled out so many applications that after a while they all began to blend together in her mind. Glancing at the school's logo in the upper righthand corner, Nina could ascertain that this particular one was located somewhere in China. She raised an eyebrow and rested her elbow on the table.

_China. How random._

Personally, Nina hoped that one of the schools in upstate New York or England took her. The British schools in particular fascinated her. She was pretty sure the experience would be incredible; and wasn't it every teen's dream to feel like Harry Potter?

She knew England was far away from home and that boarding school was a big step, but she was excited about it. It would be an adventure.

Plus...from a practical perspective, a boarding school made sense. The school district in her grandmother's town wasn't the best, and Nina was really into her studies. Plus it was an experience her parents had always wanted for her. According to her grandmother, her parents had met in boarding school during their teen years, and had later attended the same college. They had fallen _in love _in a school away from home. Nina's entire existence was based upon the connection her parents had made there. It was apparently an experience like no other.

Not to mention the strain on her gran would be less. It was just the most optimal method of education for her.

From a dreamer's perspective, a boarding school was perfect. It would be a home away from home and it would be so much _fun._ New friends, new places, new everything. Nina was an explorer at heart and she was beyond ecstatic for what was coming.

Blinking furiously, Nina forced herself to focus.

_Just one more application. Almost done._

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><p>"Guess what? Oh Nina!"<p>

Only moments later, Nina glanced up, slightly surprised but still pleased to see her dear grandmother. "Hi Gran. Weren't you headed for the gym?"

Mrs. Martin beamed and sat in the empty chair beside Nina. "I was...but then I got a phone call." She brushed her hair out of her face and her smile widened further. "A very _important_ phone call."

Nina leaned forward, her interest piqued. "Who was it?"

"One of the boarding schools from England!" Mrs. Martin couldn't contain herself any longer. She jumped to her feet and squealed, squeezing Nina tightly around the waist. "You've been accepted! They're even giving you a scholarship - I'm so _so_ proud of you!"

Nina laughed, exuberance and disbelief taking hold of her in waves. "Are you serious? This is great!"

Mrs. Martin nodded and clapped her hands excitedly. "Isn't it? It's going to be fantastic, you're going to love it. The man on the phone said you'd be staying in a dormitory called Anubis House. Doesn't that sound like fun?"

"Absolutely," Nina replied. "You know how much I love Egyptian mythology. It's always kind of fascinated me."

Mrs. Martin ruffled her hair fondly. "I know. Your parents were exactly the same way."

Nina smiled softly in response and grabbed the application she was working on, ripping it in half.

"I guess I don't need to complete this form anymore. Anubis House, here I come!"

Mrs. Martin laughed. "Well let's not be too hasty. You _did_ apply to other schools."

"Yes, but none of the others had scholarship opportunities. Financially, this makes the most sense, gran."

"Nina!" Mrs. Martin scolded. "Don't you worry about money. You know I will _always_ come through for you. Fees are none of your concern!"

Nina rolled her eyes. "Stop that gran, I know. Don't forget, I _also_ want to feel like Harry Potter."

"Hermione Granger, you mean," Mrs. Martin teased.

"Oh gran!" Nina said throwing her arms around her grandmother again.

It was a beautiful moment for the pair. They were both happy because of the acceptance phone call. Nina would be headed for school as soon as the scholarship details were finalized, and both of them were excited because her future was so bright. They would miss each other dearly, but they knew their relationship wouldn't change.

Nina would keep in touch and everything would still be the same because they were that close and they loved each other that much.

"Anubis House, here I come." Nina murmured once more, still wrapped in the loving arms of her grandmother.

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><p><strong>AN: **Finished. One more one-shot left: Eddie's! Stay tuned for that. Thanks for reading and please review! :)


	10. Eddie

**A/N: **Sorry for taking so long to update! It's been a super hectic last couple of days and time just completely escaped me. But finally, here it is: the last and final one-shot which is of course about Eddie. I just wanted to thank everyone for alerting and marking this as a favorite and _especially _for reviewing. The reviews were great motivation and it was so nice to hear from you all. Thanks for sticking with me - I really hope you've enjoyed the read. :)

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><p>Eddie kept his eyes glued to the airport's display screen as if his penetrating gaze would actually have some effect on the flight times and change it in some shape or form.<p>

It of course did no such thing.

His mother had stood by his side at check-in and then had said her farewells at the security checkpoint. She wasn't traveling and wasn't allowed further into the airport, but he still wished that she had waited in the parking lot until his flight had taken off. Or at the very least until he had to shut his phone off.

But his flight was three hours late and Eddie found himself feeling abandoned and alone. He forced himself to look away from the display screen and sipped his coffee distractedly. He hated feeling like this. Like both of his parents didn't want him. He also hated the fact that he felt sorry for himself. He internally chided himself for being so pathetic andsad.

But hey, could you blame him? His father had_ never_ wanted him. Not in Eddie's opinion at least. And his mother? She tolerated him and she told him she loved him but…if that were true…why was she shipping him away the first chance she got?

Honestly though, Eddie was surprised his mother had held out so long. He knew that his father was the principal of some fancy boarding school in Britain. If Eddie remembered right, the school welcomed high school students as well as middle school students. Eddie could have been potentially been sent away as a young sixth grader or something like that. He was grateful that he had been able to keep his distance as long as he had.

He finished his coffee and tossed the cup, gaging the bitter taste in his mouth. He wasn't sure if it was from the caffeine or from his own inner turmoil. He swallowed hard and tried to push the negative thoughts of his mind.

_I need to be at gate four. Let me get settled and then I can take a nap or something. __Screw the moping._

He found the gate almost immediately and threw his backpack at his feet, curling into one of the plush chairs and resting his head on the seat beside him. "Two hours and fifty-five minutes to go," he muttered aloud. "Fantastic."

The father (he was guessing) of a nearby family heard his comment and smiled understandingly. Eddie gave the friendly man a weak grin in return and turned his head away, reaching for his iPod. A few minutes later, he peeked from behind his iPod screen and stared at the family again.

_They look so happy. I want to be that happy. They're stuck in an airport for three extra hours but they don't care. They have each other. But who do I have?_

Eddie sighed wistfully and switched to one of his more mellow playlists. He would never admit this to anyone, but he _totally_ listened to sad depressing songs when he was feeling down. His guess was that a lot of girls probably did that. Stereotypically, he was pretty sure he was supposed to punch a wall or something absurdly stupid like that.

Eddie was a lot of things…but _never_ stupid. For example, it was very easy to recognize that he was an accident. His parents had never lived together. His mother refused to talk about it but Eddie was almost positive that the only reason his parents married was _because_ she got pregnant.

Along came Eddie and along came the struggles. He could imagine his parents fighting bitterly. Not wanting to be a team. Not fitting together. After all, it hadn't been long before they had divorced. Eddie couldn't even _remember_ a happier time where his family was whole.

Apparently, this school meant everything to his father. He had chosen it over Eddie. He loved it dearly. He attended it as a student, taught in it as a teacher, and eventually became it's principal. Where was the time for a son?

Eddie visited his dad every summer but the trips never meant much. Eddie could never get over the fact that his dad had never even _tried_ to have a proper relationship with him. Not really.

And so Eddie went on those stupid trips. He visited his "dad", went along aimlessly and insincerely with his dad's "bonding" attempts. It usually resulted in Eddie making fun of his accent and making stupid jokes about nursery rhymes that referred to famous London sights.

Eddie shook his head slowly, bringing himself out of his dismal thoughts. He checked his watch and smirked. Well look at that - he had killed a whole hour with the girly moping routine. Life wasn't all bad after all.

He tapped his foot impatiently and returned back to his cloudy thoughts. The thing that topped the whole situation off was the fact that Eddie would be staying with his dad now. As his _student_.

Eddie shuddered and groaned. This would be _awful_.

He had already promised himself to keep his identity a secret. He had begged his mother to let him register under her maiden name and she had reluctantly agreed after a rather unpleasant exchange:

_"You should be proud that your last name is Sweet! I know that your father and I don't get along but his name is still a part of who you are and you should be proud of him and all the work he's done for that wonderful school."_

_"…are you kidding me?"_

Eddie had cocked an eyebrow in disbelief and given his mother his best "this is a joke" smirk. Filled with attitude and anger, Eddie had silently slunk off to his room to sulk.

And so he registered as Miller.

He wished he was staying home though. Not because of his mom or anything. That was kind of whatever. He'd rather be with her than with him though. (Even though she had ditched him at the first sign of trouble.) He had pulled a rather stupid prank that resulted in being suspended for a week. His mother had promptly pulled him out of the school all together though.

_"They didn't kick me out, mom! It was just a stupid joke, I could have gone back in a week!"_

_"I've had it with your jokes, Edison. This is the last straw and it's clearly a sign. You need to go to a school with discipline. I think you should be with your father."_

And so here Eddie was. Alone in a quiet airport, waiting for a flight that he was now an hour away from boarding.

He pulled his school papers from his bag and quickly skimmed then again. Enclosed was his schedule, directions to the school, a list of school rules (psh like those mattered), the academic policy (who did their homework?), and finally, residential information.

He zeroed in on that paragraph and stared at it long and house. "Anubis house," he said under his breath. He returned the papers into the folder and leaned back and closed his eyes. Now would be a good time to take that nap.

"Get ready for Eddie Miller," he murmured, before slipping into a deep sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **ALL FINISHED! This was my first major work even though it wasn't an official chaptered fic. I know a bunch of people have been reading all the way, while some just read the background of their favorite character's. Regardless - I would _love _to hear your final comments. Which one-shot did you like the best? Do you have any feedback? Other comments? Good or bad I will listen and respond to you all. Thanks again for all the support - I felt appreciated and that was really nice. :)

So seeing as this was the last chapter - please review and let me hear your thoughts! :) Thanks for sticking with me.


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